Do cats sense earthquakes?

[sang72]

Well out here in sunny so cal we had a small 2.0 quake. Since then, my kitties have been especially nervous and needing extra attention. One of them even peed on my bed (onceonly), which they never do unless things are really stressful.

The weather here has been what we call "earthquake weather" cool and overcast one day, bright and sunny the next.

Do you think my babies are sensing this?

 

[leesali]

They might be. I just watched a show over the weekend on "Animal Planet" questioning whether our pets have a six sense.

It showed parrots, felines, etc. reacting before an earthquake (California) and then their reaction during an earthquake.

They claim that animals can sense things like an earthquake...become nervous, loud, etc. During the actual earthquake, the animals were very calm almost like they expected it. Interesting stuff.

 

[dawnofsierra]

I believe they definitely do. I received an email earlier today from one of our California members who felt this earthquake. It's so interesting, because she was in her bedroom when her kitties came running wildly into the room. It was moments later when she felt her apartment shaking. No damage was done. I felt this was interesting enough to share!

 

[valanhb]

I don't know where you are in relation to the one this evening, but there was a pretty big one off the northern CA coast (between 7.0 and 7.4 depending on who you listen to

). Maybe they sensed that one too in addition to the little one in your area?

 

[yayi]

Most definitely. Animals have a special sensitivity. After all, they are more in touch with nature than we are. I have some experience too. My babies were agitated some HOURS before an earthquake hit in the middle of the night. Even the neighbor's dogs were barking incessantly while I was having dinner. I thought it was the dogs causing my kitties' discomfort but it was eerie that my neighbor just couldn't shut them up and my cats never acted so strange before. The funny thing is, I slept through the quake!

I only found out the next morning when I heard it in the news and confirmed by my neighbor who of course felt bad he got mad at his dogs.

 

[cdubbie]

When I lived in Cali...my cats would get very nervous and weird - then hide - moments before an earthquake. It was never a behavior they did at any other time. When I saw them do it...I would know what was coming, and get in a doorway pronto. They were always right.